Similes: Comparing With Like or As

Understand similes, which compare two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.

A simile compares two different things using the word 'like' or 'as' to help you picture something. 'Her smile was as bright as the sun' compares a smile to the sun. The author does not mean the smile gave off light; the comparison shows it was very cheerful and warm. To understand a simile, ask: What two things are being compared, and what do they have in common?

Read: 'The kitten's fur was soft like a cloud. ' A kitten's fur and a cloud share softness and fluffiness. Not every 'like' is a simile. 'I like pizza' is not, because nothing is being compared. Similes help writers show ideas instead of just telling them.

• 1A simile compares two unlike things using like or as.
• 2Ask what the two things have in common.
• 3Not every 'like' starts a simile.